This might be a ridiculous question, but the answer is: yes, Barcelona is vegan-friendly, and it’s more vegan-friendly than most cities. I noticed this immediately when I began doing my initial research for my trip to Barcelona with one of my best friends. We visited in November ’25and stayed in the city for about one week, which afforded us plenty of time to explore its bustling food scene, vegan or otherwise. I knew I wouldn’t have the chance to try everything I wanted, so I had to prioritize (and immediately start planning my next trip). And who could blame me? The sheer volume of vegan restaurants (not just vegan-friendly restaurants) in Barcelona is astronomical. You can check out some of my favorite ones here. You can also check out vegan-friendly bakeries in Barcelona, as well as where you can find vegan ice cream.
According to HappyCow, “Barcelona is #3 🌱 on HappyCow’s Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Cities list for 2024! 🏅😍🙌🏼 In just one year, this city has seen a striking 173% growth in the number of vegan-friendly listings added to HappyCow!! Currently BCN has 116 all-vegan businesses in the heart of the city .” On their 2025 list, they ranked #6 out of 25 countries (for additional context, there are 195 recognized countries worldwide). PLUS, in case you didn’t know, the world’s best vegan restaurant, according to HappyCow, is Asante, also located in this city. For any vegan foodie, Barcelona should be on your list of places to visit.
However, while Barcelona is vegan-friendly, many of the places recommended by tourists, or located in neighborhoods or landmarks they frequent, are not. You should probably avoid these anyway, especially because they’re almost always overpriced. You should also learn some Spanish and Catalan to help you navigate the city more easily, and the locals will appreciate you trying. Also, depending on your ethnicity, they may assume you speak Spanish (they did with me).
Because of its proximity to the sea, you’ll find a lot of seafood in Barcelona, and paella. But you can find plenty of vegan-friendly groceries at the local grocery stores (I brought back non-dairy milk, some treats, and more). Bonpreu (the grocery store chain located closest to the apartment where we stayed) had a huge selection of vegan-friendly items, including cheese, milk, meat, cereal, snacks, and more. Though Bonpreu is more expensive than many other grocery stores, Carrefour and convenience stores are also commonly found. Although you may not have the same luck if you’re visiting the local markets, like La Boqueria and Mercat de Sant Antoni. I enjoy going to local grocery stores or markets on each trip: one, to get breakfast and snack items to save some money while traveling abroad, and two, to see what kind of selection they have. It’s a perfect cultural immersion experience.
If you are looking specifically for vegan-friendly groceries and snacks, as well as some other items (we picked up napkins), you should definitely stop by Ven Vegano, which is a vegan specialty grocery store located in the neighborhood of Eixample. They were located just a short walk from our apartment, and the couple running the store are very sweet. I picked up some vegan-friendly chocolates and snacks here. As an FYI, they are closed on Sundays.
Barcelona is also the birthplace of vegan food brands, including Heura, which is a Mediterranean plant-based meat brand and is found in restaurants located across Barcelona and all of Spain, including Good Shit, Vegan Kebabs. You can also find many of their products in grocery stores, and I did quite enjoy the products I had the chance to try. It’s safe to say you won’t miss anything in Barcelona, and it offers the wonderful opportunity to try so many new foods.
I do think it’s worth mentioning that while Barcelona has a plethora of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants, many have also closed within the last few years. When I first started doing my research, I noted places like Pastan, Roots & Rolls, and Vegan Junk Food Bar, but all of them have since closed. Roots & Rolls actually closed down just two weeks before I flew to Barcelona, and I was devastated. It’s emblematic of a larger problem in the restaurant ecosystem: vegan restaurants are not as supported as they should be. When I travel abroad (and even at home), I try my best to only dine at vegan restaurants. However, many of us have non-vegan family and friends we go out with. And I think it’s important to support vegan options at non-vegan places for the sake of accessibility, but not necessarily at the expense of vegan restaurants. I know many non-vegans who think vegan food is gross and won’t eat it, but vegan food has come such a long way in the last decade, even vegan cheese. I don’t miss anything!
But if you are traveling to this city, I encourage you to explore the multitude of vegan restaurants it offers, because yes, Barcelona is incredibly vegan-friendly, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a city that will impress you more.
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